Oh Crap! – Musings of an Unperfect Mommy

Music Monday – The Carpenters

February 23, 2016

On Saturday I was cruising tv channels with the remote when I landed on a local PBS station running a recent documentary on The Carpenters. Well, I had to watch. I loved them. I first fell in love with the two songs “Hurting Each Other” and “Yesterday Once More” when visiting family in CA one summer. I was hooked. When I was living in London and was about 12 or 13 I would often be in my room listening to their songs (on cassette tape) and coloring, writing in my diary, and singing along to every song. Loved those songs.

At the end of the show when they were talking about Karen Carpenter’s anorexia and death, the tears started in. I remember well the morning I awoke to the news that she was gone. I thought, how could that be – she was so young. I had no idea she’d struggled with an eating disorder (and truly didn’t know much about them then) but I guess her body just gave out. It was February 4, 1983 – a beautiful life gone but thankfully her voice lives on through the music.

Well, after the show, I lit a candle, said a prayer for her, and put on that homemade music cd from a couple years back while I cooked. And the tears just wouldn’t stop. I don’t know whether it was the sadness of a life gone too soon or thinking of my own life marching forward into middle age now – so far removed from my London bedroom. How those days gone by seem so very long ago yet so near on a day warm with spring.

So today, in honor of Karen and Richard Carpenter, my personal favorite “Yesterday Once More”. And no commentary from me this time – this song captures exactly how music was, is, and always will be for me. RIP Karen – you are loved and missed. Thank you for the beautiful music.

When I was young
I’d listen to the radio
Waitin’ for my favorite songs
When they played I’d sing along
It made me smile

Those were such happy times
And not so long ago
How I wondered where they’d gone
But they’re back again
Just like a long lost friend
All the songs I loved so well

Every sha-la-la-la
Every wo-wo-wo
Still shines
Every shing-a-ling-a-ling
That they’re starting to sing’s
So fine

When they get to the part
Where he’s breakin’ her heart
It can really make me cry
Just like before
It’s yesterday once more

Lookin’ back on how it was
In years gone by
And the good times that I had
Makes today seem rather sad
So much has changed

It was songs of love that
I would sing to then
And I’d memorize each word
Those old melodies
Still sound so good to me
As they melt the years away

Every sha-la-la-la
Every wo-wo-wo
Still shines
Every shing-a-ling-a-ling
That they’re starting to sing’s
So fine

All my best memories
Come back clearly to me
Some can even make me cry
Just like before
It’s yesterday once more

4 comments
Comments

On February 23, 2016 at 5:38 PM, dxprog said:

Tangentially related, but what's your opinion of Alan Parsons' "If I Could Change Your Mind" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaxJklUjYy8)? It sounds very Carpetersy to me.

On February 27, 2016 at 11:26 PM, java_queen said:

Yeah, very similar. But that's Carpenters with an "n" and not carpet. :-P

On February 23, 2016 at 5:54 PM, Val said:

I loved the Carpenters! Her death was such a loss to the world.

On February 27, 2016 at 11:26 PM, java_queen said:

I agree Val.

Leave a Comment

Click here to cancel reply.

Name *

E-mail Address *
(will not be published)

Website

Comment

Δ